He might never have participated in the concentrated pandemonium that is an Aston Villa-Birmingham City clash but Martin Laursen knows his local derbies.

The Villa centre-back has appeared in some of the world's bitterest rivalries yet he believes Sunday's grudge match could be even more significant than its Milan counterpart.

Throughout an illustrious career the 27-year-old has played not just in meetings between Internazionale and AC Milan but in the Sweden-Denmark and Chievo Verona-Hellas Verona derbies as well.

Having spent the last week and a half thinking about nothing else than securing his team's first win in five meetings with Blues, the affable Dane has come to the following conclusion.

"It is just as important here as it is in Milan - if not more," he said yesterday. " Because in Birmingham I really, really feel that it is important to win these local derbies."

The biggest reason for that sentiment is the smouldering realisation that in the five matches between the two sides, since Birmingham returned to the top flight in 2002, Villa have not done themselves justice.

Over that time they have as many red cards and goalkeeping clangers as they do points to show for their inadequate efforts against Birmingham. It is a fact that drives them now.

"It is a massive game for Aston Villa and Birmingham City," he continued. "Local derbies are always big, big games, especially for the fans and the people of Birmingham.

"And for us players it is important as well, you are always playing for the three points but you can feel on the pitch, when you go on just before the game, that it is a special atmosphere - almost like international games. That gives you great motivation and brings the best out of you."

Which brings us back to Laursen having never played in a Second City bash. He was injured for this season's first encounter in December but is nevertheless aware that Villa have much to prove.

"So far they have been better on the day. With all respect to Birmingham City they are not above us in the table, we have six points more than them but these matches are always very aggressive, you don't have any time on the ball, it is a very physical game and they have probably been better doing that against us in the past.

"We have to look inside and see what we have done wrong and then improve that and maybe be more aggressive, win the tackles and be there, that's what matters in games like these."

Laursen speaks of a collective desire to set the record straight, or to simply apply the law of averages to proceedings.

Not only are the Villa players aware that they owe their fans something from this game, according to Laursen they are also mindful of the fact that they need to do something for their own sake and that of their manager.

Given the physical nature the previous games and the fitness problems that have blighted Laursen's first season with the club, he could be forgiven for wanting to defer the pleasure of meeting 'Them up the Road' until a later date.

If, as seems likely, he starts at St Andrew's it will be just his fifth match in the claret and blue. His last, in the home win against Middlesbrough at the beginning of the month, came six months after damaging his knee in the match with Fulham.

And with Emile Heskey likely to line-up opposite him, Laursen could be in for a testing afternoon.

The prospect of which doesn't faze him. "Physically I am ready," he said. "I don't mind playing those sort of matches, my game is also very physical so that is not a problem for me.

"I know what I have to do, it will be a tough game but I have a lot of experience from those derbies and I think that is very important."

Which roughly translates as: If I can mark Christian Vieri at the San Siro, I'll be all right.